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May 2012 Archives

Thursday May 31, 2012

The centre was established by the Hatheway Trust and named for businessman and reformer Frank Hatheway. But a UNB history student's paper showed that Frank Hatheway's wife Ella was just as involved in reform, including campaigning to get women the vote. Susan McAdam wrote the paper and she's thrilled the centre will now be re-named to honour both Hatheways.

Thursday May 31, 2012

Canada versus China. It's international soccer at its best. The Canadian women have qualified for the Olympics and this game could help determine their chances. The CBC's Marc Genuist is covering the match.

Wednesday May 30, 2012

New Brunswick has the second highest percentage of seniors in all of Canada and the situation is even more pronounced in the north. For the first time in its history New Brunswick has more seniors than children. The CBC's Robert Jones looks at the numbers and what they mean.

Tuesday May 29, 2012

Premier David Alward's stance on Ottawa's Employment Insurance changes isn't strong enough for some. The changes will have a very big impact on New Brunswick and it's seasonal workers. The CBC's Jacques Poitras looks at the issue.

Tuesday May 29, 2012

Bird watcher Alain Clavette is finding lots of bird nests on his property. He's also come across a few Bobolinks. But what has him most excited is the first recording sighting of a Brown Booby off Grand Manan. (Brown Booby photograph taken by Captain Neil Morse on May 20th)

Tuesday May 29, 2012

Janice MacPherson has the story of Sam Masry. While working at UNB in 1979, he developed a prototype for digital mapping software. The software was called CARIS, or Computer Aided Resource Information System. Now the Fredericton-based company of the same name supplies marine and coastal mapping software programs for companies around the world.

Tuesday May 29, 2012

The federal government has introduced back-to-work legislation for striking CP Rail workers. In the past 2 years, the federal government has forced an end to strikes 5 times. York University professor Stephanie Ross looks at what it means for Canadian unions.

Monday May 28, 2012

The fact is that when you talk about making changes to Employment Insurance, you're talking about making changes to people's lives here in New Brunswick. Our political panel - Michael Camp, Lisa Keenan and Luc Desjardins - examines the issue.

Monday May 28, 2012

Byelections rarely have any impact on who's in power, but they sure can send a message. Voters in Rothesay will go to the polls on June 25th to replace Margaret-Ann Blaney. The CBC's Jacques Poitras looks at the early jockeying.

Monday May 28, 2012

Craig Pinhey just returned from judging the 2012 All-Canadian Wine Championships where a number of New Brunswick wineries won awards! His wine of the week is a double gold winner, Belliveau Poire Pear Wine at $12.99 a bottle.

Friday May 25, 2012

When Levi and Kim Lawrence got married last weekend, they pretty much knew they had to go local. Levi is the entrepreneur behind Real Food Connections in Fredericton and, it's fair to say, a kingpin of the buy local network in the province. The newlyweds explain how they made it happen!

Friday May 25, 2012

There's no way around it. The New Brunswick economy depends heavily on fishing, and forestry. And, that means a lot of people in the province work seasonal jobs. So, when the federal government tinkers with the employment insurance system it's big news here. The CBC's Robert Jones looks at how these changes will affect our province.

Friday May 25, 2012

Moncton-based David Campbell wrote an article this week warning that EI changes could drain the maritime labour force buy the region more economic problems. Now that the details of the changes have been announced, he has thoughts on what it means for the province.

Friday May 25, 2012

Last week our pet vet talked about choosing a quality food for your pet. She'd certainly been hearing a lot of concern after the latest recall of several brands because of possible salmonella exposure. Dr. Shelia MacGowan touched on the broad strokes, but after receiving an email from a listener she tries to get more specific.

Friday May 25, 2012

We've all been subjected to bland, grocery-store bought tomatoes. Then there's the perfectly sweet, tangy, tomato from a near-by vine. One scientist is working hard to make sure the two have more in common, and it turns out scent is the key. Michael Bhardwaj has the details.

Friday May 25, 2012

It's painstaking work. But in the past year, tape has been slowly peeled from the back of two of 11 huge Miller Brittain drawings at the New Brunswick Museum. Curator Peter Larocque talks about the fascinating conservation work underway.

Friday May 25, 2012

There are a lot of sayings in the world of investing. "Buy low, sell high" is probably the best known. This time of year, you hear "Sell in May and Go Away." Donna Guzik looks at whether there's any truth behind the old saying.

Wednesday May 23, 2012

Miramichi native Maggie Sutherland has painted a portrait of Prime Minister Stephen Harper that's attracting a tremendous amount of attention across the country. Called Emperor Haute Couture, the painting features Harper reclining next to a little dog on a 19th century chaise -- and he's naked. Sutherland explains her inspirations and she talks about the conversation surrounding her work. (Photo credit: Lars Hagberg/ The Canadian Press)

Wednesday May 23, 2012

Bird watcher Alain Clavette had such a great time on Grand Manan last weekend, that he went right back this week! It seems a lot of birders had the same idea, but the birds aren't really cooperating! Alain talks about the weekend (check out his photograph of a Green Heron), and tries his hand at identifying a couple of birdsongs!

Wednesday May 23, 2012

A decade ago, the Hollywood blockbuster Minority Report wowed audiences with a computer you could control with just a wave of your arm. Then came Wii and Microsoft's Kinect. Now a tech startup called Leap Motion is promising to take the motion control of computers where no one has gone before. Anshuman Iddamsetty has the details.

Wednesday May 23, 2012

Travel guide Ellen Tucker is thinking about some great spots to visit close to home this summer. Plus, looking ahead to the winter, she has some news about new travel destinations from Sunwing out of Saint John!

Tuesday May 22, 2012

The appointment of Margaret-Ann Blaney to a high paying government job has provided a prime target for the Liberal opposition. Beyond the cries of patronage, Blaney's new job is also being criticized as contradicting the government's own message of budget restraint. The CBC's Robert Jones has a report.

Tuesday May 22, 2012

This week Rothesay MLA and Energy Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney announced she's resigning her seat and taking over as President and CEO of Efficiency New Brunswick. The appointment appears to break a promise, and it runs contrary to the government's hiring freeze. Our political panel - Michael Camp, Lisa Keenan and Luc Desjardins - tackles that issue plus the province's proposed new fracking regulations.

Tuesday May 22, 2012

People are starting to talk about the new discount brews that arrived on the ANBL shelves, Craig Pinhey is more interested in the crop of other new beer listings that arrived at the same time! His beer of the week is Unibroue Ephemere Pomme at $14.78 for a 6-pack.

Friday May 18, 2012

Proposed new rules on shale gas extraction have been unveiled. At first glance, the regulations seem to address some of the biggest concerns, but there are some questions that still don't have answers. The CBC's Jacques Poitras has the story.

Friday May 18, 2012

It's the opposite of fast food, and Diane Savoie is so interested in well-made, local food that she's one of the founders of New Brunswick's first Slow Food convivium! It's similar to a chapter of the international slow food movement begun in Italy in 1986. Diane Savoie is our guest this week on Homegrown.

Friday May 18, 2012

It's a common sight at this time of year -- a pair of Robins tending to their first clutch of blue eggs. Well, new research offers some unexpected insight in to the spring rite. It turns out the brighter the blue, the better. Science columnist Michael Bhardwaj explains.

Friday May 18, 2012

Pet owners have been rumaging through the pantry lately trying to figure out if what they're feeding their pet is safe. That's after several brands of dog food were voluntarily recalled because of concern about exposure to salmonella. Dr. Sheila MacGowan has her own thoughts about what to look for in a pet food.

Wednesday May 16, 2012

New Brunswick is home to the only Global Geopark in North America, so it seems fitting that it will host the International Geopark Conference in 2014. Randy Miller of the New Brunswick Museum explains what this conference could mean for Stonehammer and for the province.

Wednesday May 16, 2012

Ellen Tucker talks about a company called Monograms that allows travelers to mix the advantages of working with a big tour company with the independence they may want in deciding what they want to do with their time. Plus, she has a deal or two up her sleeve.

Wednesday May 16, 2012

Over the past three years the online game has built a loyal following of more than 28 million registered users. The object of the game is deceptively simple: survive, by building almost anything inside the game's 3-D world. Anshuman Iddamsetty has a look at why the game is so appealing.

Tuesday May 15, 2012

Donald MacPherson is a director of the Canadian Drug Policy Coalition and a proponent of the decriminalization of all drugs. His views are grounded in his experience as the first Drug Policy Coordinator for the City of Vancouver. He's in the province for a UNB-sponsored panel called Drugs and the City: Innovative Solutions that Benefit Communities.

Tuesday May 15, 2012

You many remember a few years back when NB Liquor launched its own discount beer amid much fanfare. Selection, you may also recall, was a flop. But liquor store patrons may have noticed lately that discount beer is back, with a difference. The CBC's Robert Jones has the story.

Tuesday May 15, 2012

Alain Clavette spent the weekend in heaven -- or at least that's what he'd tell you. Our birder has been on Grand Manan. At last count, he'd spied more than 100 different species, including a White-eyed Vireo! Check out the beautiful photograph he took, and for more just follow him on Twitter @Acadian_Birder, or search for the hashtag #nbbirds.

Tuesday May 15, 2012

The American Psychiatric Association is revising its manual of psychiatric diseases. But the process has been mired in controversy. Last week, a panel of doctors took the unusual step of withdrawing proposals for two newly created psychiatric disorders. House Doctor Brian Goldman has the story.

Monday May 14, 2012

People in the province continue to worry about their personal information after Elections NB mistakenly released voter information that included names, birth dates, phone numbers and driver's license numbers to MLAs and political parties. Our political panel - Michael Camp, Lisa Keenan and Luc Desjardins - look at that issue plus Monday's municipal elections.

Monday May 14, 2012

The popularity of Scotch whisky continues to grow. Craig Pinhey is in Scotland this week visiting some of the most famous distilleries. His whisky of the week is Laphroaig 10 year old single malt. It's not cheap at $80.79 for a 750 ml bottle.

Monday May 14, 2012

Jake Palmer's just returned from a few days in Nova Scotia with the family. He took them away hoping his bathroom renovation would be mostly complete when they returned. Well, the good news is that he has running water, but it's not all in one room!

Friday May 11, 2012

We knew it was time to check back in with Pam Trenholm of Brighton Botanicals when we got an email from her this week, bragging about her asparagus patch! She's already enjoying fresh asparagus at her farm near Hartland ... and she's hoping to turn people on to the wonders of nettle!

Friday May 11, 2012

Sean McGrath is building himself a fine reputation as a wedding and portrait photographer in the province. This week he was surprised to learn that his work, along with the work of several other photographers, appeared on a website for Meagan Kunert in Arkansas. She had claimed the work as her own, and even made up stories about the people in the photos.

Friday May 11, 2012

Remember when a baking soda and vinegar volcano would get top marks at the school science fair? Well, times have changed. Today, teens are developing new nanotechnologies, identifying genes and coming up with faster ways to search online. Science guy Michael Bhardwaj has a look at this year's best.

Thursday May 10, 2012

Your personal information - your date of birth, your driver's license number, your phone number - is, or was recently, in the possesion of your local MLA and political parties. Elections New Brunswick confirmed they mistakenly sent out far more voter information than they are allowed to under the law. The CBC's Jacques Poitras has the details.

Thursday May 10, 2012

It all started with an offer for a few days work for Kedgwick's Hugo Doucet. That was 10 years ago and since then he's seen the world with Cirque du Soleil! He works on the rigging that keeps the high-flying acts in safely in the air.

Thursday May 10, 2012

The animal shot on the Acadian Peninsula last month was, in fact, a wolf. It's officially the first of its kind confirmed in the province in over a century. Don McAlpine is the curator of zoology at the New Brunswick Museum and he explains what the find could mean.

Thursday May 10, 2012

University and college students are getting ready to move on as graduation ceremonies are held around the province. Jeffrey O'Hara of Stanley has been selected by his Mount Allison classmates to give the valedictory address. He talks about what he'll say, and his plans to continue studying theatre in the UK this Fall.

Thursday May 10, 2012

Facebook has launched a two-week-long roadshow to boost interest in its initial public offering. While the company may be the most popular social networking site in the world, there are those who are starting to question whether the company is worth its proposed stock price. Donna Guzik has the story.

Wednesday May 9, 2012

Sometimes it takes someone from away to remind you that you don't have to travel far to have some great experiences. Our travel guide, Ellen Tucker, was pleased to read a new article about the province in Travel Industry Today. It's written by well-respected travel and food writer Margaret Swain and it's titled "A Province of Culinary Surprises."

Wednesday May 9, 2012

No one wants the photo they sent to a boyfriend, or an angry text bad-mouthing a friend, to find its way into the public domain. There's always a chance your personal communications will become public. Now there's a way to limit that risk. Our tech columnist Anshuman Iddamsetty has details about a new Canadian app called Quimby.

Tuesday May 8, 2012

Birders have been gathering around Elgin these days in hopes of catching a glimpse of this Texas native with the long tail feathers. Alain Clavette has spotted this bird, rare to our area, before ... but he wasn't about to pass on the opportunity to see it again (and take a picture as well)!

Tuesday May 8, 2012

It's estimated as many as four percent of physicians have a disability, but it's very rarely talked about. Daniel Heffner is telling his story in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. He's a medical student who says his struggle with a severe learning disability is making him a better physician. House doctor Brian Goldman looks at the issue.

Monday May 7, 2012

David Alward promised that he would not cut teachers when he was running to become premier. His government promised "no teacher cuts" again this week, when it announced details of new school district changes. But did the government deliver? Robert Jones has been taking a closer look.

Monday May 7, 2012

Acadie-Bathurst MP Yvon Godin has tabled a bill that would require filling positions such as the Auditor-General with people proficient in both official languages. Our political panel - Michael Camp, Lisa Keenan and Luc Desjardins - weighs in on that issue. Plus the Ferguson defamation saga in Saint John and the one year anniversary of Stephen Harper's Conservative majority government.

Monday May 7, 2012

'Tis the season for spending Saturday afternoons wandering from one stranger's home to the next poking through closets and checking out wallpaper. As a realtor, Jake Palmer knows an open house can be key in getting a deal done. But he also admits he's seen his share of disasters.

Friday May 4, 2012

It's almost two years since Alison Toron and her partner Josh Dickison decided to start making fresh pasta at their home in Currieburg. They bring their Naskwaak Noodles to Fredericton's Boyce Market every market day, and their reputation for quality has earned them regular restaurant customers as well.

Friday May 4, 2012

65 positions will be cut as part of the move from 14 school districts to 7. But, the government says classrooms will have more resources and principals will have more time to spend with teachers and students. The CBC's Jacques Poitras has all the details.

Friday May 4, 2012

Scientists have discovered birds have their own internal GPS, and it's far more reliable than the man-made version. They've pinpointed a cluster of nerve cells that help birds igure out where they are in mid-flight. They hope this discovery will solve a major piece of the puzzle that is bird migration. Michael Bhardwaj has the story.

Thursday May 3, 2012

It was a win for former Saint John city councilor, John Ferguson, and a defeat for the pension board. After a trial that lastes almost 12 weeks, the jury has found Ferguson not liable. The CBC's Robert Jones wraps-up the story.

Thursday May 3, 2012

It seems everyone is being asked to do more with less these days. So, it's no surprise that people are feeling burned-out. Donna Guzik speaks with a leading researcher in the field and shares what she's learned.

Wednesday May 2, 2012

The flood waters receded six weeks ago, but the mess left behind is getting worse by the day for Cindy MacLaughlin. She owns several businesses and they've all been affected, leaving her with bills to pay and no money coming in. MacLaughlin says if she doesn't hear about compensation soon, she'll have to go bankrupt.

Wednesday May 2, 2012

After 55 days - it's finally in the hands of the jury. Former Saint John city councillor John Ferguson is accused of damaging the reputation of the city's pension board. The CBC's Robert Jones has the story.

Wednesday May 2, 2012

Our modern devices are technological wonders, that never shut up! From emails to tweets to reminders, the flow of information never stops. Now, new technologies are trying to address that by summarizing what you need to know when you need to know it. Anshuman Iddamsetty has details.

Tuesday May 1, 2012

The lawyer for Saint John's pension board, Barry Morrison, completed his final argument in the case against former city councilor John Ferguson. He's accused of damaging the board's reputation. Morrison didn't hold back. As he has during the entire trial, he painted Ferguson as a man looking for attention, who had no regard for the truth. The CBC's Robert Jones reports.

Tuesday May 1, 2012

Alain Clavette is enjoying some perfect, windless birding weather. He's asking people to make sure that their Swallow boxes' entries are the right size so they don't attract Starlings. He also has news of a few birds who overshot their migration mark and details on birding apps you can get cheap.

Tuesday May 1, 2012

When a patient arrives in the E-R and their life is on the line ... health care workers usually ask family members to wait outside the room where they'll be treated. But when the patient is a child, a new study suggests they shouldn't be separated. House doctor Brian Goldman has the details.